UK royal family angry with BBC after William and Harry documentary aired

Going out of its usual reserve, the British royal family accused the BBC of "presenting as fact" "unfounded" information in a documentary on Princes William and Harry. The British public group aired on Monday evening the first episode of a two-part documentary titled "The Princes and the Press". He looks back on journalists' relations with William, second in the line of succession to the crown, and his brother Harry, who has often denounced the pressure of the media on his family and does not hesitate to sue those who play against him. In the opus released Monday night, a detective named Gavin Burrows recounts being employed for several years by British newspapers, including News of the World, which Harry attacked.

For the tabloids, as early as 2000, "Harry was basically the new Diana," he says.

Three years after the death of his mother in an accident in Paris, the young prince was selling "much more" than his brother promised to the throne.

And that's why he himself set out to hunt down Chelsy Davy, the young prince's girlfriend, from 2004. “There was a lot of voicemail hacking, there was a lot of surveillance work on her. telephones, on his communications.

Chelsy bragged to her friends when she went to see him, ”Burrows recounts in the documentary.

Meghan Markle, the "difficult duchess"

Why this royal anger, when the documentary seems to agree with the princes when one of them says to be abnormally tracked down by the press? No doubt for the comments made vis-à-vis the treatment of Meghan Markle, Harry's wife. The film's author, Amol Rajan, interviewed journalist and MailOnline columnist Dan Wootton who said journalists were contacted directly by people "behind the scenes" to complain about the behavior of the young woman, dubbed the "difficult Duchess. », And her easily influenced husband. Worse: Journalist Omid Scobie claims negative stories about the Sussexes were fueled by other family members.

The "firm", which had not been able to see the documentary before its broadcast, wanted a press release to transmit its feelings to the air. If Buckingham Palace - the Queen -, Clarence House - Prince Charles - and Kensington Palace - Prince William - believe that a "free, responsible and open press is of vital importance for a healthy democracy", they regret that "too often exaggerated and baseless claims from anonymous sources are presented as fact and it is disappointing that anyone, including the BBC, gives them credibility".

Relations with the BBC remain poisoned by the broadcast over 25 years ago of an interview with Princess Diana.

She claimed that there were "three people" in her marriage - referring to Charles's relationship with Camilla Parker Bowles - and admitted to having an affair herself.

The British channel had refused to buy the series "The Crown", the first five seasons of which were seen by tens of millions of people.